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Grand Moff Tarkin 19,247

Latvia is now one of the fastest-growing economies in the EU, so that's why they're eager to join the Euro? It's rather like someone in a small boat coming alongside the Titanic and eagerly climbing aboard on one side, while on the other side the lifeboats are going down into the water, isn't it. I can only presume they only read the bit about how generous the lovely people at the EU are with their handouts and Loans, and always click "accept" without bothering with all the small print. ("Your Economy could be at Risk if you do not keep up repayments"). I bet insurance salesmen would love the Latvian government.

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Frank Merton 14,858

I suspect its because they don't see the Eurozone as the Titanic but instead as a ship going through a storm and they are better off on the big ship than staying out in the storm in the small one they have.

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Grand Moff Tarkin 19,247

I suspect its because they don't see the Eurozone as the Titanic but instead as a ship going through a storm and they are better off on the big ship than staying out in the storm in the small one they have.

but their Economy is, as it says, now one of the fastest growing in the EU, and they seem to have steered through the storm and are now hoisting full sail as they pick up the trade winds of prosperity. Whyever would they want to encumber themselves, to thoroughly mix metaphors, with an albatross around their necks now?

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spud the mackem 3,751

So if Latvia is doing very well, why are thousands of their citizens applying for immigration to other Countries ?..There is a few in my town,working in places like McDonalds, they are friendly people but everyone I've spoken to says Latvia is going down the pan.You dont leave your Homeland if the conditions are good.

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stevewinn 4,437

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keithisco 2,875

The term "Fastest growing economy" is dependent on the underlying economy. If you are coming from a very poor growth base then, what appears to be fast growth may actually be mediocre (comparitively speaking).

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Tutankhaten-pasheri 810

Latvia will fit in well with the EU "democracy", as they did not allow 300,000 Russians classified as "non citizens" to vote in referendum to have Russian as second official language. This is 14% of population denied a vote. But the unelected Baroso and Rompuy will hardly have any concerns about this.

NB, there is a further 27% of population who are ethnic Russians who can vote, though why not allow all Russians to vote, that will be 41% of total vote. Then there are ethnic Ukranians and Belarussians. With their vote there will be nearly 50% Eastern Slavonic speakers in Latvia, yet they are denied official recognition....

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bmk1245 2,247

Latvia will fit in well with the EU "democracy", as they did not allow 300,000 Russians classified as "non citizens" to vote in referendum to have Russian as second official language. This is 14% of population denied a vote. But the unelected Baroso and Rompuy will hardly have any concerns about this.

NB, there is a further 27% of population who are ethnic Russians who can vote, though why not allow all Russians to vote, that will be 41% of total vote. Then there are ethnic Ukranians and Belarussians. With their vote there will be nearly 50% Eastern Slavonic speakers in Latvia, yet they are denied official recognition....

Ah, lets see:

Non-citizens may naturalize provided that they have been permanent residents of Latvia for at least 5 years, demonstrate Latvian language competency, correctly answer questions regarding Latvia's Constitution and history—including that it was occupied by the Soviet Union (a question debated in Latvian Russian press)[29] and know the words to the Latvian national anthem.[30]

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TheLastLazyGun 388

Apparently, most Latvians don't want to join the euro, so their government isn't listening to them. Though I suppose their government can't do anything about it considering that Latvia, like all EU countries except Britain and Denmark, must join the euro at some point.

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Professor Buzzkill 2,442

Apparently, most Latvians don't want to join the euro, so their government isn't listening to them. Though I suppose their government can't do anything about it considering that Latvia, like all EU countries except Britain and Denmark, must join the euro at some point.

It's like governments worldwide are not even pretending to be democracies anymore. And there are many people (even on this forum) who giving away parts of your sovereignty to an unelected elite is a good thing.

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Helen of Annoy 17,854

It's like governments worldwide are not even pretending to be democracies anymore. And there are many people (even on this forum) who giving away parts of your sovereignty to an unelected elite is a good thing.

What’s the alternative?

Democratic Russia? lol.

EU has its huge faults, but it is useful construction at the moment, from my perspective, which is not that different from Latvian perspective – I guess.

Euroscepticism is fine for people in countries that are not in danger to be pushed into sphere of influence (euphemism for half Europe large gulag) they escaped a while ago for a set of damn good reasons.

It’s easy to forget recent past of others, Latvia for example, but they haven’t forgotten yet.

Too soon. Some 200-300 years too soon. At least.

Edited March 6, 2013 by Helen of Annoy

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Grand Moff Tarkin 19,247

So if the mighty EU was not there, then all of Eastern Europe would once again be swallowed up by the Russian Bear? Like the EU would be able to do the slightest thing about it if Putin was to decide to reassemble the USSR?

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Helen of Annoy 17,854

So if the mighty EU was not there, then all of Eastern Europe would once again be swallowed up by the Russian Bear? Like the EU would be able to do the slightest thing about it if Putin was to decide to reassemble the USSR?

Not so melodramatically, but it's easier to manipulate small entities back into sphere of influence, using endangered Russian bear minorities whose horrible fate was mourned on the page 1. Annoying the **** out me, because the exact same strategy was used over here, even the magic number of 300,000 Orthodox martyrs who lost their god given right to crap on everyone else’s head.

Tell me if I’m paranoid or there was a whole ****en war with intention to hammer my country back into ****en ex-Yugoslavia that never took its nose out of Russian butt.

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keithisco 2,875

So if the mighty EU was not there, then all of Eastern Europe would once again be swallowed up by the Russian Bear? Like the EU would be able to do the slightest thing about it if Putin was to decide to reassemble the USSR?

You seem to have forgotten that it is NATO that guarantees the apparent Freedom of its members. If Old Eastern Bloc nations elect to join NATO then they also fall under its protection. 21 EU members are also members of NATO (Ireland, Sweden, Finland, Austria, Malta and Cyprus are not) and the two organisations work very closely together.